Articulated car



Oct. 6, 1936. w. H. Mussi-:Y ET AL.

ARTICULATED CAR Filed March 26, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 6, 1936. W H, MUSSEY AL .Y 2,056,227

l l ARTIGULATED'CAR' Oct. 6,1936. w. H.l MUssEY ET Al.

ARTICULATED CAR Fild March 26, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 y *u @tong Mk1/7L ARTICULATED CAR Filed MaICh 26, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 uw NQ if: HX

Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTICULATED CAR William H. Mussey and Martin P. Blomberg, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware y Application March 26, 1934, serial No. 717,417 comms. (01105-4) This invention relates to cars of the type some-V a center plateA 22 having an opening 24 for the times called articulatedv cars, and which comprise pintle I4, and presenting a convex bearing surtwo or more 'Sections having car bodies with adface 25 to the surface 20 of the center plate I'I. jacent ends articulatedto and carried by a com- The actual bearing surfaces of the center mon truck, and the principal objects are to en` plates are separated by anti-friction material 29, 5 close the passagewayl and preserve the contour preferably of that type comprising porous metal between the car bodies. y l n charged with a lubricant. Oilite is an example of Furthervobjects and advantages of` the invensuch material. The brackets IB and 2| are setion will appeanasthe disclosure proceeds and cured to the respective end sills I2 and II by the descriptionis readin connection with .the bolts 26, dowels 21 and keys 28. 10 accompanying drawings, infwhich The particulars of car construction are not im- Fig.` l is a perspectiv'eviewf'ofthearticulation',v portanty here and it will sufiice to say that the the vestibule unit, prtionsofgvthe'adjacent carl vendfsills IIv and I2 are .connected to correspondbodies, etc., with partsbrokenfawayfand details ,Y f ingend sills at the opposite ends of the car bodies omitted to clearly show. the Vgeneralfarrange` by center sill structures 30. l y s l 15 ment; f' Fabricated box columns 3|, 32v (Figrfl) frise Fig. 2 isA a transverse,verticalsection Ataken from strong joints with the end sillstoL-thetop on line 2-2 lof FigQ; f "I s 4' chord structure, which includes ahorizontalplate Fig. 3 is aflongitudinal;vertical section 33 extending from side vto side (Figs. 2` andv 3) through the axis-of` articulation `'with parts and other parts necessary to fabrication, but unbroken away and the.' remaining partsenlarge'd important here. Above the plate 33 isa duct 34 as compared with theother views;`A e which runs longitudinally ofthe car and is a Fig. 4 is a horizontal, se'ctionalyiewftaken Ipart of the ventilation system. on the line 4-4 of AFig.2,v looking downwardly; The shell of the car bodies is formed on chan# Fig. 5 is asectional viewthrough the guide .nel-shaped ribs of which the corner ribs 35 25 spring housing, the section being taken o n theA (Figs. 1 and 3) are examples. They are bent line 5--5 of Fig.4`; l n I into a form most accurately described" bythe Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, lperspective view of the word bow, as will be seen by Fig. 2, and have Ventilating means-fin -the side of ythe vestibule their end portions made fast to the corresponddrum. f j ing end sill structure or to the center sill accord- 30 But these drawings vand the description that ing to the position lengthwise to the car body. follows of the particular form' built to meet They may be arranged with the leg portions excustomers conditions,V and the principal features tending inwardly as shown in Figs. l and 4, or of the invention lend themselves to variousrother with the legs extending outwardly as shown in embodiments intended to be covered herein. Fig. 3. The side and roof sheets 36 are secured Swing-motion trucks are generally preferred to thesebow ribs and form with them the outfor articulated cars (Car Builders Cyclopedia,r side shell within which, of course, there is ap- 1931, pages 83, 569 and 580) but that is a matter propriate finish and trim. The end sheets 3l of selection from numerous types. (Ibid, sec. aresecured to the flanges 38 of the corner ribs 40 10, pp. V'763 to 791.) i ,A 35 (Fig. 4), and the flanges 39 of one section 4U 40 The common truck is'here represented. by a of the adjacent end posts 3I or 32. bolster IU, which carries a body center plate I3 The end posts 3I and 32 mark the doorways 4I (Fig. l) having a` pintlev I4 surrounded by a con into which the floors 42 extend to a curved metalcave bearing surface I5., The end sill I2 of one e lic threshold strip 43.

car body (the one to the rear or following the A vestibule unit, here shown as abarrel-shaped articulated truck) is equipped with a body center drum 44, is mounted on the bolster Ill and exvplate bracket, generally indicated at I6 (Figs. tends into each doorway, as best shown in Figs.

1 and 3) which bearsthe body center plate I 1 1, 3 and 4. having an opening I8 to receive the pintle I4 It is mounted. on an arch 45, having forked and presenting a convex bearing surface I9 toends 46 fitted to the bolster and made fast by 50 wards the truck bearing surface I5 and a conbolts 4l. The intermediate portion 48 of the cave bearing surface 2l)v upwardly. y arch (Figs. 2 and 3) is of H cross-section and is The end sill II of the adjacent or front car provided with a perforated seat 49 for a block body is equipped with a similar body center plate of wood 50 surmounted by a block of rubber 5I,

bracket, generally indicated by 2|, which bears tted within the anged plate 52, riveted to a. 55

CAD

reinforcing plate 53, which, in turn, is riveted to the bottom 54 of the vestibule unit 44, the whole assembly being made fast by a bolt 58. This bottom 54 extends somewhat beyond the sides of the vestibule unit and overhangs the threshold strip 43, where it is reinforced with a ring 55.

The threshold strip is surmounted by a curved angle 56 (Fig. 3) on which is a flexible weather strip 51 bearing against the undersidel yof the vestibule bottom or passageway floorA 54.

The vestibule unit is yieldingly held in position relative to the car bodies by four sets of rollers 59, mounted in shoes 60, sliding between channel-shaped guides 6| xed to the member 40 of the end posts 3| and 32, and urged towards the vestibule unit by springs 62.

A supplemental end plate 63 closes the pocket ln which these shoes are assembled, and has an but-turned ange 64, to which one edge of a fabric sheet 65 is made fast; the other edge is attached to the adjacent side wall of the vestibule unit 44.

The top 66 of the vestibule unit has a marginal downwardly extending flange 61, to which the side walls of the vestibule drum are secured. The top is surmounted by two curved channels 68 receiving and cooperating with curved weather strips 69, xed to a transverse nish plate 10 carried by the chord plate 33. Inwardly from the vestibule unit in each car body are door frames 1| secured to the end posts 3| and 32 at the sides and to the chord plate 33 and finish plate 10 at the top.

The passageway through the vestibule unit is made by cutting away the side walls, leaving arc-shaped portions 12, the edges of which are bound at 13.

The bottom 54 of the vestibule unit carries two angles 14 (Fig. 2) notched to embrace the intermediate portion 48 of the arch and thereby require the vestibule unit to move with the 36 of the rearmost, or following car body.

bolster relative to the car bodies.

A flexible ily 15 of some suitable fabric has one edge secured at 16 to the side and top plates Its forward edge 11 is secured to a metallic channel 18 bent to form a bow quite similar in shape and size to the corner ribs 35.

The bow is hinged to and carried by four arms 19, 80, 8| and 82, hinged to brackets 83 and 84, which fit astride and are secured to posts formed as channels and fastened to the opposite sides of the vestibule unit 44,

The arms which support the ily 15 may be mounted on one or the other of the car bodies, if desired, or upon some part which is fixed with respect to one of the car bodies.

The outer ends of the arms19, 80, 8| and 82, are actually hinged to brackets 86 fitted Within the channel 18, which bears the forward edge of the fly 15.

Each of the brackets 83 and 84 has a laterally directed linger 81 between which and a finger 88, on each of the arms 19, 80, 8| and 82, is stretched a spring 89, by means of conical headed bolts 90 and 8|.

The fly is overlapped by a rearwardly projecting metallic shed 92, arched about the passageway and having its forward edge secured to the corner of the forward car body at 93, and reinforced by an angle 94. The shed 92 is slightly curved, fore and aft, and provided with wear strips 95 to cooperate with rollers 96, journaled in blocks 91 carried by the channeled bow 18.

The outer or forward side of the arched channel 18 is tted with rubber bumpers 98 at the sides adapted to strike the reinforcing angle 94, or the end sheet 31, of the leading car when rounding a curve of sufficient degree.

v The Springs 89 make the arms 19, 80, 8| and .l 82 constantly extend the fly 15 towards the leading car body and, being closely overlapped by the weather shed 92, the contour of the car bodies is substantially preserved and a fairly tight weather joint is maintained. Upon traversing a curve sufficient to bring the bumpers 98 into contact with the leading car, the springs will yield to allow for the angularity of the car bodies.

Instead of side bearings, each of the end sills Il and |2 is equipped with a pair of arms 99 pivoted to the upper end of I bars |00, the lower ends of which are pivotally and resiliently` connected with the corresponding ends of the bolster l0, in a manner not sufliciently important here to require detailed description.

The articulated joint formed by the-truck and body center plates will allow all the relative rotor movements required in service and the linkage used instead of side bearings will brace the car bodies in a way to make for improved articulation. The arched ily and weather shed will accommodate the movements and protect the vestibule unit from the major effects of the weather. The loose mounting of the vestibule unit will allow it to accommodate the relative movements between the car bodies while preserving a safe and protected passageway across the articulated joint.

The vestibule is ventilated through adjustable openings |02 in the walls 12 of the vestibule unit, opposite the channels 85 (Figs. 1 and 6). The size of the openings is varied by manipulating a vertically slidable apertured bar |03 guided by a nish plate |04 and resting upon the arm of a crank |05 journaled at |06 in the nish plate |04. 'Ihe handle |01 of the crank travels in an arcuate slot |08 in the finish plate, the slot being of such length that when the crank handle is moved to the extreme right of the slot, it passes dead center, and the weight of the bar |03 is exerted against the ilat face 09 of the crank arm.

As shown in Fig. 6, when the slide bar |03 ls in its lowered position, the openings |02 are alined with the openings in the slide bar and the interior of the vestibule unit is in communication with the outside atmosphere through the channels 85 which are closed at the top but open at the bottom. When the bar is raised by moving the crank handle to the right, the openings are closed.

What we claim, therefore, is:- 1. In a device of the class described, a truck, car bodies with adjacent ends carried by the truck, a vestibule between the car bodies, a flexible weather fly secured to the following car body, means on the vestibule holding the fly extended forwardly, and an arched weather shed extending rearwardly from the leading car body and overlapping the fly.

2. In a device of the class described, a truck, a bolster on the truck, car bodies with adjacent ends carried by the truck, a vestibule between the car bodies, swinging arms atthe sides o the vestibule, an arched bow carried by the arms, a y extending between the bow and the margin of the following car, springs urging the bow 75 forwardly, and an arched shed carried by the leading car overlapping the y,

3. In a device of the class described, a truck, a bolster on the truck, car bodies with adjacent ends carried by the truck, a yoke on the bolster, a barrel-shaped vestibule yieldingly mounted on the yoke between the car bodies and forming a passageway between them, an arched bow carried by the vestibule, a y extending between the bow and the margin of the following car body, and an arched shed carried by the forward car body overlapping the y.

4. In a device of the class described, a truck bolster. car bodies having adjacent ends articulated to the truck bolster, a vestibule unit yieldngly mounted on the bolster and forming a passageway between the car bodies, a Weather y arched over the vestibule unit and secured to the rearward car body, means at each side of the vestibule unit for resiliently extending the fly forwardly, and a relatively inflexible weather shed projecting rearwardly from the forward car and overlapping the y.

5. In an articulated car which includes a pair of car bodies the adjacent ends of which are swiveled on a common truck and are provided with alined door openings in their end walls, the combination therewith of an enclosed passageway member connecting the doorways and an inverted U-shaped structure at the perimeter of the bodies for closing the space between the car bodies at the top and sides thereof,

6.' In an articulated car which includes a pair of car bodies the adjacent ends of which are swiveled on a common truck and have substantially at end walls provided with alined door openings, the combination therewith of a substantially weather-sealed passageway ymember connecting the doorways and an inverted U- shaped structure at the perimeter of the bodies for closing the space between the car bodies at the top and sides thereof and forming substantially a continuation of the car top and sides respectively.

MARTIN P. BLOMBERG. WILLIAM H. MUSSEY. 

